Engagement Rings for that Special Someone
You know she is the one; you know she will say yes. Now, with so many engagement rings to choose from, how in the world do you find the perfect one for your perfect girl? There are several things to think about when choosing engagement rings. The first, and probably most personal, is style. You should consider whether your fiancee to be prefers the style of antique engagement rings, classic engagement rings, or more modern engagement rings. Next, you should determine what kind of metal she would want for the ring. When you have put some thought into style and metal, it will be easier to choose the perfect setting. 
Finally, it will be time to select a diamond. There are a few key aspects that set diamonds apart from each other. These are color, cut, clarity, and size. The color and cut you choose for engagement rings has much to do with her preferences. The clarity and size has more to do with what standards of quality you expect. Unique engagement rings will always stand out and be worn with pride by your wife for years to come. Read below for an in-depth look into how to choose the style, metal, setting, and diamond that will be as unique as your bride to be.
Engagement Ring Styles
There are basically three styles when it comes to engagement rings: antique engagement rings, classic engagement rings, and modern engagement rings. So, how do you know which one your girlfriend would prefer? There should be some simple clues you can pick up.
Your girlfriend might want an antique style engagement ring if she is very sentimental and love things that are ornate. Check out her decorating style. If her apartment is covered in deep, rich fabrics, if she has black and white photos of her grandparents or great grandparents, if she loves old movies, then these are just some hints that might lead you to believe that an antique engagement ring might be right for her.
If you are thinking your girlfriend might like more classic engagement rings, think Tiffany engagement rings in that classic Tiffany setting. This style is defined by clean, simple lines and generally has a single stone setting. Your girlfriend probably wants a ring styled after classic engagement rings if she likes to keep things simple and orderly; her apartment is tidy and everything is just-so. You can also check out her personal style. If your girlfriend dresses in classic clothes, skips the trends, and wears natural makeup rather than more trendy colors, then a classic engagement ring would suit her tastes.
Modern engagement rings represent a broad category. These rings usually incorporate some of the design styles of both the antique and classic rings but, usually with a twist. Some modern style rings could be trendier, representing the styles of different eras throughout history up to the present day. These are very style specific and if your girlfriend does not neatly fit into one of the two categories above, then modern style will probably by your best choice.
Metals Used in Engagement Rings
The two traditional choices for engagement rings are gold and platinum. You could also choose from sterling silver, titanium, stainless steel, and tungsten. We will focus on gold and platinum and the options you have within these two metal categories. The big choice with gold is white gold or yellow. If all the jewelry your girlfriend wears now is yellow gold, then you should probably stick with yellow gold for engagement rings. If your girlfriend tends to wear white gold, platinum, or silver, then you will want to choose between white gold and platinum.
Going for Gold Engagement Rings
Gold is measured in karats and the karat measurement can tell you the strength of the gold. You will choose from 10k, 14k or 18k gold. Pure gold is 24k but, this is not strong enough to be suitable for jewelry. The numbers 10, 14, and 18 tell you how many parts gold are contained in the jewelry compared to how many parts other alloys used to make the jewelry stronger.
White Gold or Platinum Engagement Rings
If your girlfriend wears white gold, platinum, or sterling silver jewelry, then you can choose between white gold and platinum. Platinum is generally considered as stronger, more durable and more rare than gold. Platinum will never fade or change color over time. Choosing between platinum and white gold, the most important aspects to consider are the patina and the durability.
The Setting for Engagement Rings
Now that you have determined a style and metal, it should be easy to pick a setting. You should head to the jewelry store or search online with your decisions in mind. Jewelers should be able to show you, for example, classic style, platinum settings and you will be able to choose from there. Sometimes they will let you know that only certain cuts of diamonds can be set in the ring that you choose. Keep this in mind when choosing a setting if you know your girlfriend prefers a particular cut.
Diamonds for Engagement Rings
The diamond, the centerpiece of the engagement ring, is offered in many varieties as well. To choose a diamond, it is easiest to break the selection down into four categories: color, cut, clarity, and size.
Colors for Engagement Rings
Diamond color ranges from colorless to fancy color on a scale denoted by the letters D (colorless) through Z (color). Diamond color may be a very personal preference, especially if you are choosing colorless or color, or may be more of a question of which color on the scale will be most complemented by the metal you chose. Your girlfriend may prefer a colorless diamond. If you ever noticed her admiring the brilliance of others engagement ring diamonds, then colorless or somewhere close to that on the scale (D-J) would be a good choice. If you know that your girlfriend is more interested in colored diamonds such as the pink diamond engagement ring, then you should be looking at the Z end of the scale. If you do not think there is a specific preference, then ask the jeweler to help you choose a diamond color that will be most complemented by the metal you chose.
The Right Cut for Engagement Rings
In choosing a diamond’s cut there are three basic styles that incorporate several different shapes.
Brilliant cut diamonds include round, oval, pear, heart, and marquise shapes. Round cut diamonds are probably the most popular cut and usually are the best for showing off the color and clarity of the diamond. Oval shapes are a more unique version of the traditional round. Pear cut, also called teardrop, and marquise cut are more slender than both the round and oval. Heart cut diamonds are literally heart shaped and lend a more romantic feel to the engagement ring overall.
Step cut diamonds include rectangular, emerald, and baguette shapes. These diamonds are literally cut in a step-like fashion so that light angles and reflects off the steps. Of these, emerald is the most classic shape, baguette is then more modern and rectangular tends to be most trendy.
Incorporating both the design features of the brilliant and step cut, mixed cut diamonds are most popularly considered as the princess cut.
Diamond Clarity and Engagement Rings
The clarity of the diamond is more accurately referred to as its level of flawlessness. Imperfections inside the diamond are referred to as inclusions and a diamond’s clarity is measured on a scale of the amount of inclusions. Inclusions diminish the capacity for light to travel through the diamond and thus the diamond’s brilliance. The scale of inclusions is made up of five steps: flawless and internally flawless; very, very slightly included; very slightly included; slightly included; and included. While you may think that your diamond should be flawless in order to be amazingly brilliant, some inclusions may lend the diamond unique light-reflecting capabilities, especially in certain settings.
The Right Size for Engagement Rings
Diamonds are measured in carats which represent the weight of the diamond. Generally, you will choose a carat weight between .25 and 4. The choice of carat is personal and depends on several factors. Larger carats are rarer and therefore cost more; one factor may be cost. The setting you have chosen may determine the size of the carat you should choose; if the engagement ring setting has several diamonds as complements to the centerpiece diamond, then you may choose a smaller carat. For maximum impact on a single-diamond setting you may want to choose a larger carat but, don’t forget to take into consideration how the diamond will look on your soon-to-be fiancee’s finger.
Armed with all of the information presented above, you will find it easy to choose between engagement rings to find the perfect one for the love of your life. Now, you only have to decide where and when you will pop the question. Good luck and congratulations!
